Storage battery terminal



Aug. 25, 1931. A. D. GOLDMAN I 1,820,611

STORAGE BATTERY TERMINAL Original Filed Sept. 21', 1

l 0 INVENTOR.

M011" )1 o/edmw BY z 6 v A TTORNFV Patented Aug. 25,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ALRERT D. GOLDMAN, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND STORAGE BATTERY TERMINAL Original application filed September 21,

My invention relates broadly to terminals or clamps and more particularly to an electrical terminal for establishing connection clamp under conditions of corrosion, rust or other chemical action which may occur adj acent the terminal post of a storage battery.

Another object of my invention is to provide a simplified construction of terminal for storage batteries in which a pair of jaw members embrace opposite sides of the terminal post of a storage battery and have means associated therewith for either closing or opening the jaw members with respect to the terminal post for establishing a positive electrical connection with the terminal post and'facilitating the removal of the terminal from the post under conditions of corrosion which may exist after extended use of the storage battery.

A further object of my invention is to provide a construction of clamp for storage bat- 80' tery terminals wherein a pair of jaw members embrace opposite sides of the. storage battery, a clamping bolt passing freely through an aperture in one of the jaw members and engaging screw threads in the other of said jaw members, the clamping bolt; having a transverse pin extending therethrough in a position near the inner surface of one of the jaw members and arranged to engage the jaw member forcspreading the jaws and facilitating the removal of the clamp from the storage battery when the clamping bolt is rotated in a direction opposite to the direction to which the clamping bolt is moved 5 when applying the clamp to the storage battery post.

Other and further objects of my invention reside in the construction of clamp for storage battery posts as set forth more fully in the specification hereinafter following by refer 1928, Serial Nd. 307,416. Divided and this application filed July 2,

1931. Serial No. 548,405. 7

ence to the accompanying drawings, in

which:

Figure 1 is a plan view showing the clamp and terminal of my invention; Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken through the clamp and terminal of my invention showing the clamping bolt moved to a position in which the jaws on the storage battery clamp grip the storage battery post; Fig. 3 illustrates the operation of the clamp under control of the clamping bolt when the jaws are spread for effecting the removal thereof fromthe storage bat-tery post; Fig. 4 is an elevational view of the clamping bolt with a part broken away and shown in horizontal section; and Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view through the clamping bolt on line 55 of Fig. 4.

Heretofore in the art, storage battery terminals have been employed comprising a clam whlch 1s attached to a storage battery -post y means of the customary bolt and nut fastening means. I have found from actual experience that such fastening means is rendered ineffective and that release thereof made extremely diflicult because of the-film formed between the bolt and the nut and between the post and terminal when corrosion occurs. This corrosion is brought about by the fumes or the acid escaping from battery and covering the terminals and other parts causin the abov described difficulties. This corrosive film maybe in the form of rust necessary to use special tools to break the film and remove the clamp or terminal.

The device of my invention obviates the difliculties above pointed out in that it is unnecessary to employ any tools other than a wrench in the removal of the clamp on terminal and to this extent presents a decided improvement over the prior art. In the device of I v invention I provide a terminal having a pair of opposed integral jaw members= having their ends normally spaced and formed with apertures. A clamping bolt is loosely mounted in one of the apertures "and is screw threaded through the other aperture. The head on the'bolt engages the outer face of one of the jaws. I provide a transverse pin extending laterally through the bolt and projecting beyond the circumference of the bolt. The transverse pin is carried by the bolt near the inner face of the jaw member through 'which the clamping bolt is loosely mounted. The head of the bolt engages the outer face of the last mentioned jaw when the bolt is rotated to move the jaws into clamping relation about the storage battery post. When it is desired to remove the clamp,

.the head of the bolt is turned in the opposite direction whereby the pin member abut-s with the inner face of the last mentioned jaw and serves to spread the jaws, thereby enabling the clamp to be removed from the storage battery post even under conditions of heavy corrosion.

Referring to the drawings in detail, reference character 1 designates the sleeve portion of the clamp which receives the conductor extending from the storage battery. The clamp is shown at 2 integrally connected with the sleeve portion 1. The clamp 2 has a pair of integrally connected opposed jaw members 3 and 4 each having parallel extending inner faces 3a and 4a. There are aligned apertures in the opposed jaw members 3 and 4 as represented at 5 and 6. The aperture 5 is in the form of a smooth walled bore. The aperture 6 is screw threaded. The clamping bolt 7 has'a smooth walled cylindrical portion 7 adjacent the head 9 and a screw threaded portion 8. The screw threaded portion 8 of the clamping bolt extends through the aperture 6 and engages the screw threads therein while the cylindrical portion 7 of the clamping bolt passes through the smooth walled bore 5. The bolt is provided with a diametrically extending aperture 10 through the cylindrical portion of the bolt 7, the aperture 10 being so spaced from the head 9 that when the terminal is assembled the pin 11 which extends through the aperture 10 will have the projecting ends thereof so located that the same will serve as an abutment with the inner face 3a of the jaw 3 when the head of the bolt 9 is rotated to spread the jaws 3 and 4. The cylindrical portion 11 passes freely through the smooth walled; bore 5 while the screw threaded portion 8 engages the screw threads 6 in the jaw 4, enabling the opposed jaws to be clamped around the storage battery post 12 as indicated in Fig. 2. Under this condition the inner face of the head 9 abuts against the outside face 36 of the jaw 3 as the jaws are forced against the sides of the terminal post 12.

However, when it is desired to remove the clamp from the storage battery post 12, the head of the bolt 9 is gripped by a tool such as a wrench and rotated, thereby bringing the projecting ends of the pin 11 into abutment with the inner face 3a of the jaw 3 and thereby establishing forces which spread the jaws 3 and 4 away from terminal post 12, as shown by the enlarged space between the inner faces of the clamping jaws in Fig. 3, as compared with the infinitesimal space between the inner faces of the jaws and the post 12 in Fig." 2. The inherent resiliency of the clamp enables the jaws to be spread a suflicient distance to permit the removal of the clamp from the storage battery post. The movement of the parts of the clamp with respect to the storage battery post is suficient to breal; the film of corrosion disposed between the body of the clamp and the terminal post, so that the clamp may be readily removed even under conditions of excessive corrosion.

The construction of the terminal of my invention permits the terminal to be installed and removed with very little effort. This eliminates the possibility of breaking of battery posts and does not require the use of special tools. A small wrench is all that is neces sary to install or remove the terminal.

The form of my invention disclosed herein.

has been found to be highly practical in its construction and operation, and whlle l have described my lnventlon in one of its preferred embodiments. I desire that it be understood other aperture, ahead on the bolt engaging the outer face of one of said jaws. and a transverse pin carried by the bolt near the 1nher face of the last named jaw member and movable therewith. with its ends projecting beyond the circumference of the bolt.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

1 ALBERT D. GOLDMAN. 

